


The Good Part

by evelinaonline



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Ben Hargreeves is Alive, Family Bonding, Fluff, Gen, Good Brother Ben Hargreeves, Good Brother Klaus Hargreeves, No Incest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:54:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23804200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evelinaonline/pseuds/evelinaonline
Summary: Ben is okay with Klaus bugging him.
Relationships: Ben Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves
Comments: 24
Kudos: 207





	The Good Part

**Author's Note:**

> This is a gift for one of my best friends in the world, [ManyNerdThings](https://manynerdthings.tumblr.com/)!
> 
> I'm going to begin by saying this: If it wasn't for Mia, you guys wouldn't have half the fics I've posted here.
> 
> You know this one friend you immediately text when you come up with a scenario? That's Mia for me. (Especially when it comes to Ben stuff. We love Ben in this house.)
> 
> I don't want to make this too long, but this is what this one-shot is about. The quiet nights we spend talking and coming up with scenarios, when one conversation leads to another, when it's interrupted but then carried on later.
> 
> Thank you so much for being my friend. I love you so much. Happy birthday <3

For years, the only power Ben had over the real world, was how he perceived it.

The brightness of the sun, the colored patterns on his brother's clothes, the deep blue of the night sky. The birds chirping in the morning, the screech of wheels against the street, the sudden screams of the usual unpleasant visitors, pale and lifeless, just like him.

Well. He was a different story.

Ben Hargreeves was dead, a ghost, but not like the others. Definitely not like the others, whose senses were all lost, except those that brought them pain. No, Ben was the polar opposite. There was no pain in his afterlife.

In fact, there were no senses at all. Just his sight and hearing, and sometimes smell on days Klaus wasn't all that intoxicated.

Living in a simulation meant nothing could get to him. He could deal with Klaus, he could deal with the ghosts, he was _lucky._ Ben had another chance in this world, one he'd use to help Klaus, almost like a guardian angel. Lucky. He was lucky.

Until he wasn't.

For the first time after thirteen years, Ben Hargreeves was alive, like the others. Exactly like the others, living independently and freely and however they wished, aging and building a future. The world was no longer just a picture he was forced to observe—he could interact with it.

The scent of Mom's cooking would fill the entire mansion, and Ben could not only smell it, but also get to taste each dish with his family at lunch.

And he could touch things. Feel things.

Klaus took advantage of that.

They'd always been together, but being able to touch changed everything. Klaus would hold Ben's hand when they walked, refusing to let him go. He'd lean his head on his shoulder when he read, he'd jump on his lap when he sat down, he'd even cuddle him at night.

Ben didn't mind; he needed it.

Because sometimes, Ben would be far too lost in his new senses to focus on where he was going, and Klaus kept him grounded. Others, he missed Klaus' presence when he read. But most importantly, he couldn't sleep alone.

It was like his body refused to shut down when he was alone. Ben wasn't _used_ to being alone, which was quite ironic, considering how often he avoided conversation with the others—he needed more time. Klaus was always easy to talk to though.

Speaking of whom, he was currently throwing little paper balls at Ben's direction, and one of them had finally reached their target.

Ben sighed. "Klaus." He set his book down on his knees and looked at him, unamused. "Would you please let me finish just one page?"

"This is tedious," Klaus complained. "At least when you were a ghost you included me in your reading sessions or whatever."

Ben crossed his arms. When he was a ghost, Klaus used to turn the book pages for him—which led to many unfinished books—and Ben would encourage him to read, without much success. "Well, _do_ you want to join me?"

" _Christ,_ no."

Ben smiled thinly. He knew Klaus secretly enjoyed it, but it was easier to pretend. He set his bookmark in his book and placed it on his desk, then reached out for his pillow to hug. "At least stop throwing papers at me?"

Klaus picked up as many of the papers as he could and threw them in the bin underneath Ben's desk. "What papers?"

Ben rolled his eyes. "Ha, ha."

Klaus smirked and jumped on the bed next to him. "So, Benjamin," Klaus said, "feeling excited for Vanya's concert tomorrow?"

Everyone was trying to move past everything that happened, and although it took more than a few encouraging words, Vanya decided to keep her place as first chair. Her first concert—for real this time—was on the following day.

Ben was really looking forward to it.

"I just hope Diego and Luther won't sit next to each other," Ben said. "Can you imagine sitting in a row behind them?"

"Truly traumatizing."

Ben smiled, but didn't say anything else. He liked to listen to the silence these days. It felt different than when he was dead, as if it had its own sound, tingling his ears.

"You think Five's gonna show up at the theater in his school uniform?"

Ben chuckled. "Oh, definitely."

"Jesus, don't you two have anything better to talk about?"

Ben's attention was immediately turned to the door, where, speak of the devil, Five was standing. He looked as cranky as ever, with his mug full of coffee—black coffee—and his pyjamas.

"Number Five!" Klaus exclaimed. "We were just talking about—"

"—my fashion sense, apparently. I am well aware, I was standing right here," Five interrupted. "Would it be too much to ask for you to be quiet? I'm trying to focus." He stopped for a moment, then added, "and the others are trying to sleep."

Klaus clasped his hands together, and Ben could smell the mockery in his soon-to-be words. "How truly thoughtful of you to let us know—"

Ben put a hand over his mouth, shutting him up. " _We're sorry_ , Five, we'll be more quiet," he said while glaring at Klaus. And with that, Five blinked out of existence, and Ben let go of Klaus.

"I just wanted to thank him."

"You wanted to be a dick."

"Sometimes these two overlap."

"They really don't."

Klaus groaned and got up to close the door, leaning against it. "You're no fun, Ben."

Ben shrugged, a small smile appearing on his face. "You're still here."

For a moment, it seemed as if Klaus was going to say something thoughtful. He had this look on his face, that told Ben there were more than a few words hanging by the tip of his tongue, but he never said them out loud. Instead, Klaus smiled back. "You are too."

These three simple words were more than enough.

"Yeah," Ben said, his smile becoming wider. "I am."

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked this, make sure to check out my [tumblr (evelinaonline)](https://evelinaonline.tumblr.com/). I'd be more than happy to discuss headcanons and stuff with you all!
> 
> Thank you for reading! Much love <3


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